[[Ben Wagner]] was a lawyer from Jackson, [[California]]. He represented [[Dave Beavers]] and other deputies who were exposing corruption within the Mariposa Sheriff's Department. Wagner played a key role in forming [[D.I.G. (Decency in Government)]], an organization dedicated to exposing this corruption.[^1] Wagner filed two civil rights lawsuits with the [[United States District Court|U.S. District Court]] in Fresno, which were later described as the largest civil rights lawsuits in [[California]] history. He also filed a Writ of Mandamus against [[John Van de Kamp]], the State Attorney General; [[George Vinson]], regional director of the Fresno [[Federal Bureau Investigation|FBI]]; [[George Deukemejian]], then Governor of [[California]]; and [[David F. Levi]], [[United States Attorney|United States Attorney]], for their alleged refusal to investigate corruption in Mariposa County.[^1] Wagner was reportedly carrying a gun both inside and outside Mariposa for the first time in his life due to the nature of his work. He wrote letters to the Attorney General, the [[Federal Bureau Investigation|FBI]], and President [[Ronald Reagan]] seeking help. A special agent from the Fresno [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]], Division of Law Enforcement, informed Wagner that everything pertaining to Mariposa was being "trashed" at the Attorney General's office, and advised him to proceed with the lawsuit.[^1] Shortly before his first scheduled court appearance on behalf of D.I.G., Wagner received an obscure response from "Chuck" at the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] [[White House]]. The day after meeting with "Chuck," Wagner, along with [[Jerry Goldberg]], reportedly disappeared, unplugging his phone and leaving his law practice and home, never to be seen again.[^1] --- ### Footnotes [^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.